the Amadei Toscano Black,or the Domori Puro? Just saw them on a random website, and wondering....

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"Oh, what a noble mind is here o'erthrown..."

Hans-Peter Rot

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October 9, 2003 - 4:53 am

I've tried Domori Puro, and as its name implies, it's 100%. It's pretty smooth and coats the mouth with a thick chocolate paste that leaves a long and powerful aftertaste. It also has pieces of cocoa bean in it, which gives it that more "pure" feeling. It's currently my favorite chocolate. Puro is somewhat creamy, and is a better chocolate than Noir Infini, imo.

Martin Christy

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October 9, 2003 - 10:52 am

The Toscano Black is a 70% bar as I understand it, so not a direct comparison - the only answer is to try both!

After reading this, I decided to eat some more Puro. Interestingly, it had a slightly acidic overtone in my mouth. This is probably due to the fact that I burned the roof of my mouth on some scallops earlier today. Just to make sure, if anyone tasted acidity of fruitiness in Puro, please post.

I spend a lot of time in Italy working with wine and im a big chocolate lover too, and as such have eaten quite a lot of the best there is from Italy. It is my opinion Amedei has by far the better chocolate, I most definitley prefer their Porcelana to Domori and over time this has become quite obvious to me as it holds greater depth and balance. Domori is certainly not bad chocolate in my opinion but having the opportunity to buy both I would definitely choose Amedei every time. I rate their 70% over the 63% and 66% but this is obviously my personal sweetness preference. Amedei Porcelana (or Chuao) anyday for me. Im used to comparing flavours, and the balance of flavours more importantly and Amedei really have got it spot on. I see you are selling Domori (bit pricey if you dont mind me saying) but will you be selling Amedei at all in the future as it seems such a shame to not let your customers experience what I have found. I have just found this website today and im keen to read whats been said about the various chocolates so excuse me for popping up if I feel the need to but in.....I suppose that's what this forum is all about though isn't it.

morton peto

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October 14, 2003 - 2:52 pm

I was really impressed with the flavours in the Domori Grand Blend No1. To the extent that I wondered if it included flavour enhancer (that ingredient item 'flavour cocoa mass' is perhaps a 'disguise' I was thinking??). I don't know what members think about flavour enhancers in chocolate. I know I have seen it as an ingredient in Slitti chocolate.

If I was sure that Grand Blend did not contain a flavour enhancer and if it was widely available it would be my 'default' bar without a doubt.

Martin Christy

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October 15, 2003 - 2:20 am

Dean, thanks for your post.

I'm a huge fan of Amedei, also I think a lot of Domori. I think they have slightly different styles of chocolate range, in that Amedei stand more on their blends, whereas Domori really score on the new Château range.

For me the Domori Porcelana just wins over the Amedei because it is a little more chocolatey and less variable. It is a hair's breadth difference though, Domori at 90.25/100, Amedei at 90/100, so you could call them equal.

The 66% Amedei is one of my personal favourite eating bars. It just seems to sit better than the Toscano Black 70%.

The shop prices are a result of the cost of importing on a small scale - I'm sure they will be much lower in Italy! We try to set a fair price that does not put the chocolate out of reach. When I bought my first 50g bar of Amedei Porcelana from Selfridges it cost £7.60! (Fortunately this has now come down to £2.95.) We try not to go to those extremes! If you see a bar priced lower than us elsewhere on the web, let me know and we'll look at it.

I'd be surprised to see any flavour enhancers in any quality chocolate. What Domori mean is they used 'flavor' cocoa beans - mostly criollo, rather than 'bulk' cocoa beans - mostly forestero. Those are industry terms for the top quality beans and the average ones.

Slitti has the ingredient 'flavouring' as its last ingredient. This is a common euphemism in ingredients lists for a flavour enhancer.

Martin Christy

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October 15, 2003 - 2:50 pm

Ooohhh - nasty! I never go near any chocolate with the mystery ingredient 'flavouring' included. It usually means any old chemical substitute you can think of - not a sign of a good chocolate or a serious chocolate maker, so that is disappointing!

There is really no excuse for not listing everything if it is all natural (and that does not include 'natural flavor', which would still be a chemical substitute, just one originated from a natural source, e.g. - a cow.)

I know this will be controversial, but if that applies to all Slitti products then there will be no place for them in the Chocopaedia!

i've just ordered a few slitti bars at a pretty stiff price. i sure as h*ll hope they don't include "flavoring" in their ingredients. that would really p*ss me off. 'scuse my french, but i agree 100% with you, martin: there is no need for a good chocolate to contain anything other than natural ingredients.

Lone Ly

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May 11, 2004 - 1:29 am

I haven't tried Domori Puro, but I regularly consume Amedei. As an eating chocolate I agree with Martin - the 66% is preferrable. However, since my local shop have 1kg bars of Toscano Black 70% (approx 20£) and Chuao (approx 28£), I use to buy these two. I find 70% excellent for desserts and hot chocolate (adding chili, vanilla stick, coffeebeans, peppermint etc.) and Chuao for eating and desserts. Chuao is in fact quite versatile. Although I loved Domori's Puertomar and Puertofino (the only I've tried so far), I consider eating Amedei as an adventure of an experience - a fantasy journey in taste. It is simply like eating a complex piece of fine arts!

"Man cannot live by chocolate alone - but woman can." (Unknown)

Hans-Peter Rot

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May 12, 2004 - 1:13 am

Since you eat Amedei regularly, do you feel that other chocolates aren't as good when you switch to another brand? Does anyone here eat other bars by brands such as Dagoba or Chocovic? Lately, all I've seen being discussed is Slitti, Domori, Cluizel, and Amedei. I'm not complaining, but I was just wondering.

tom finnerty

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May 12, 2004 - 8:42 am

Montegrango,

I eat Chocovic Ocumare all the time, it's a very good bar with nice spicy tones and long flavour and also I think it's excellent value.

alex_h

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May 12, 2004 - 12:45 pm

martin,

slitti adds natural flavor to their chocolate. below the answer i received to my question:

Gentile Signor Slitti,

I just received a shipment of your chocolate from a store here in Germany and have a question. Listed in your ingredients are "natural flavors"; I was wondering what these might be exactly. I would be grateful for any information.

reply was

Natural Flavours = VANILLA FLAVOUR

We remain at your disposal for any question.

Best regards,
SLITTI CHOCOLATE.

LoneLy,

you seem to be quite experimental in your use of chocolate. impressive! i just eat the bars as they are. call me lazy and unimaginative.

monte,

i agree. italy and france are getting quite a lot of attention here. not unjustly, but maybe a bit one-sided.

Lone Ly

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May 13, 2004 - 3:40 am

As mentioned by some now, French and Italian brands are the only discussed lately. I agree it's kind of one-sided, but these chocolatiers offers quite an impressive amount of great bars as it is and I find it difficult to keep myself informed as "informed" means engaging some digestive activity in addition to all that reading and writing ... I've also recognised that people seem to be quite true to seventypercent.com's own list of Top 10s. Speaking of that, I wonder why Brussel-based Pierre Marcolini isn't discussed more widely. If included, it means an extension of nationalities.

"Man cannot live by chocolate alone - but woman can." (Unknown)

Lone Ly

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May 13, 2004 - 3:58 am

alex h,

My experimental use of chocolate is more due to coincidents than empiricist preferences. When living in Vienna last year I
1) learnt the difference between good and bad chocolate (although I had this silly fascination for Hachez. I've still got a bar of their Cocoa Arrabia (?) with strawberry and pepper just to remind myself to appreciate the Really Good Ones.) Xocolat http://www.xocolat.at is a chilled store - quite refreshing during heatwaves I'd say.
2) had my first ultimate hot chocolate experience - at Demel. (Cold drinking chocolate is great too - especially from Demel and Gerstner.)
3) had my most ultimate cake and dessert experiences after years of suffering from a "sweet tooth".

Quite reasonably I continued making good stuff at home. Since chocolate still is an experience to me, I don't hesitate using expensive bars for experiments. Making only one portion means that only small amounts are spoiled if any.